


Those Ten Years

by DianeClifford, jessiejanelightyear



Category: Toy Story Series (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-21
Updated: 2015-12-06
Packaged: 2018-02-26 12:10:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 16,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2651597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DianeClifford/pseuds/DianeClifford, https://archiveofourown.org/users/jessiejanelightyear/pseuds/jessiejanelightyear
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Buzz recalls Jessie's flirting, and moments they shared, during their years as Andy's toys.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

It was a lazy weekday afternoon for Bonnie’s toys, the Anderson family away from home as usual.  Leafy shadows – cast by the warm autumn sun, shining above a rustling tree outside the window – danced across the foot of Bonnie’s parents’ bed, where Buzz and Jessie lay listening to the radio and just enjoying being together.  Jessie had won the choice of the country station, and she was contentedly cuddled against Buzz, her head resting on his shoulder and his arms wrapped tightly around her. 

As they lay in their peaceful retreat, a song began to play that Buzz didn’t recall hearing before, and he turned his attention to the lyrics… 

 _Girl you cut those jeans just right_  
I know you didn't buy 'em like that  
So baby don't even try that  
You dance, oh you move  
Like there ain't nobody watchin'  
But girl you know I'm watchin'

A smirk formed on the space ranger’s face, and he chuckled.

“What?”  Jessie pivoted her head ever so slightly up to face him. 

“That is YOU, Jessie,” he remarked, amused. 

“Huh?”  The cowgirl focused intently on the next verse, pursing her lips as she realized what the song was about.

 _You've been lookin' over here all night_  
And when I look, you look away  
Oh I love the little games you play  
Yeah I bet you didn't mean to brush my hand when you walked by me  
Like you didn't mean to drive me crazy

“That is NOT!” protested Jessie emphatically.  “I don’t mess with ya like that!”  Her face feigned shock.

“You don’t now, no – well, not like you used to, before.”  Buzz smiled at her indignant pout.  “You knew exactly what you were doing to me back at Andy’s, always teasing.”

Jessie looked at him through innocent puppy-dog eyes.  “I didn’t tease ya, we were just friends then!” 

“Oh, please.  You flirted like crazy.  It was like you were on a mission to get me flustered.”

“Didn’t take much,” she giggled at the memory.  “But I wasn’t messin.’  YOU were just a mess!”

“Hey!” The space ranger retaliated by rolling onto his side, freeing Jessie from his embrace and tickling her sides.  As she squealed and squirmed beneath him, their playful battle being fought without words, the couple could hear the chorus play a final time… 

 _Don't lie, you've got it all figured out_  
That smile, has got me spinnin' around  
Don't even try actin' like it ain't no thing  
Cause I can see you move a little closer, closer  
Girl I gotta get to get to know ya, know ya  
Everything about ya makes me want ya, want ya  
Know what you're doin’ baby don't ya, don't ya

“Don’t lie, cowgirl.”  Buzz raised an eyebrow and glanced down defiantly at Jessie.  “You can’t deny it.” 

She grinned up at him mischievously.  “You can’t prove anything.”

Once again the space ranger’s fingers grasped his girlfriend’s sides, and she let out a high-pitched squeak as the tickling resumed.  “I think I CAN,” he challenged.   “Where do I even begin?  As I recall, you didn’t waste any time in starting to tease me.  Remember when…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is co-written by jessiejane10 and Diane Clifford. :) We both loved the idea for the story, so we decided to work on it together. We'll be alternating authorship of the chapters, and will specify with each chapter who the author is. This first chapter was written by jessiejane10. 
> 
> The song referenced is 'Don't Ya' by Brett Eldredge.


	2. Year One

“Hey, slow down!” Jessie heard Rex shouting long before it happened.

It was a few weeks after she had arrived at Andy’s with Bullseye. Things were going well, but she was still adjusting to being one of very few female toys in an otherwise male dominated room. The male toys seemed to often play a little more boisterously than she was used to, having been owned by a little girl previously.

Right now, her attention was caught by Rex’s words. “Come on, give it back, I only borrowed it, Woody will make me extinct if I lose it!”

“You gotta catch me, Lizard Breath!” Mr Potatohead called, running towards near where Jessie was standing. She could see he was holding a square object, which she recognised as Woody’s clipboard.

Her loyalty to her brother made her stop dead in the middle of the room. Mr Potatohead was so busy looking behind him in his quest to get away, that he didn’t see Jessie, and ran straight into her. He dropped the clipboard, and fell over with a grunt. Several of his pieces flew off, clattering in the immediate surroundings.

“Oh! Thank you Jessie!” Rex panted, catching up to the cowgirl and the spud, who by now was lying on his back, moustacheless, armless, and one-eye-less.

Jessie shrugged and gave a small smile. “Happy to help a critter, Rex.” She retrieved the clipboard and held it out, as Mr Potatohead grumbled and started to get up, picking up his parts off the floor. He gave Jessie a bit of a look – as much as was possible with only one eye left in his head – and shuffled off, muttering something about newcomers getting in the way.

Rex, meanwhile, grabbed the clipboard from Jessie as if his life depended on it. “I must return this!” He gabbled with a grin, his little arms wrapped around the brown square. As he turned to go, Jessie noticed his tail making a beeline straight for her head. She shrieked a little, and ducked, feeling Rex’s tail make contact.

As the dinosaur toy lumbered off, she raised up again to full height. Something wasn’t right. Jessie frowned, putting her hand up to her head. Her hat wasn’t there. She glanced around and saw it lying on the floor just behind her. That’s what it was. She turned around, and bent over to pick it up; grateful she hadn’t sustained a serious injury or broken part.

_Ka-chunk._

She stayed where she was for a moment, her ears caught by the noise. Her brow furrowed, and she looked behind her, around her leg. In the upside down position, she blinked before straightening up to make sure she had seen correctly.

There, standing not too far behind her as she looked over her shoulder, was Buzz Lightyear. His wings were out, the tips blinking alternately.

“Why would his wings be out like that?” She wondered vaguely to herself. She watched him fumble for, and eventually hit the red button on his chest panel, as he muttered something to himself. The wings went back in; she heard them clunk back into place. She shook her head and recollected her thoughts. 

 _“Where was I….? Oh right, my hat. Honestly, I’m so forgetful.”_ She bent over a second time to retrieve the hat.

  _Ka-chunk._

She jerked to a stop. Her eyes widened and her body tensed, her hand hovering just above where her hat still lay, forgotten in that instant. That noise was familiar now. Her fingers brushed her hat, and she made sure to keep hold of it this time, as she straightened up and turned.

Buzz was still standing there in the same spot behind her, and his wings were back out. The wing tips were flashing again, green and red, green and red. A mischievous smile played over Jessie’s features.

 _“Really, Buzz?”_ She thought, the realisation occurring. She set her hat back on her head and walked over to him, long graceful strides. She reached the spot in front of him and her hand shot out, pushing the large red button.

There was an audible clunk as the wings popped back into place. Their eyes met, and Jessie swore she saw an uncomfortable look pass over his face for a mere second. She regarded him for a moment more, amusement coursing through her.

 _“Let’s see how he likes this,”_ She thought to herself, as she turned on her heel and started to walk off, being sure to shake her hips as she went.

From behind her a few moments later, she was rewarded with the sound she was expecting to hear. 

_Ka-chunk._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was written by Diane Clifford.


	3. Year Two

“He’s looking at you again, you know.”

Bo and Jessie sat on the desk in front of Andy’s bedroom window, which had been opened to let in the breeze on an unseasonably cool late summer day.  In the year since Jessie had come to live in Andy’s room, the two female toys had become close friends, Mrs. Potato Head being too preoccupied with her three alien children to be very social.  The cowgirl and shepherdess could frequently be found together talking, and more often than not their conversations ended up being about Buzz and Woody.

Jessie giggled.  She looked back over her shoulder and down at Buzz.  The space ranger was seated on the floor with Rex, assisting the dinosaur with the more difficult levels of Andy’s new _Buzz Lightyear of Star Command_ video game.  Every now and then the girls would catch him glance in their direction, only to quickly turn away as soon as he feared they might have noticed.

She smiled sweetly at him, throwing the dreamy-eyed space ranger completely off guard.  Startled, he let out a faint gasp as he hastily turned back towards the television screen.

“What’s the matter, Buzz?” Rex asked worriedly, while fiddling with the game controls.

“N-nothing, Rex,” stuttered Buzz, as he struggled to compose himself, trying with all his might to suppress the all-too-familiar heat that rose inside him every time he locked eyes with Jessie.     

“Poor Buzz,” Bo sighed.  “I see what you do to him.  You really know how to push his buttons.”

“I do not!” Jessie objected. “Not all of ‘em!”    

Her friend laughed.  “I meant figuratively, silly.  Unless there's something you're not telling me?"

The cowgirl twisted her face at the shepherdess, who merely countered with a smug smile.

“You know the effect you have on him, Jessie.  Everyone does.  It’s been a year now, though; how long are you gonna wait for him to make a move?”

“Make a move?  But we’re jus’ friends,” she unconvincingly dismissed the question.

Bo gave Jessie a look that showed she knew her friend wasn’t being totally honest.  “Listen to me, honey, your friends don’t look at you like that space ranger does, and they don’t get all tongue-tied, either.  Woody was the same around me at first, too.  Sometimes us girls have to take matters into our own hands, and force the man to take the next step.  You DO like him as more than a friend, don’t you?”  Jessie’s silence and diverted gaze answered the shepherdess’s question.  “I thought so.”

The cowgirl looked up at her friend earnestly.  “B-but how?  I never had a fella interested in me before, and I ain’t ever been very… girly.”

“He seems to like you just fine the way you are, so don’t worry about that.  But there’s no harm in turning things up a little, and driving him so crazy he just might throw all caution to the wind.  Has he paid you any compliments?  If you know what he likes, you can use that to your advantage.”

“Jus’ my hair.  That’s the only compliment he’s managed to get out… sorta.” Jessie smiled as she remembered that day on Andy’s bed, when he had stammered about her _‘yarn full of hair.’_

“Well, then,” the shepherdess smirked.  “I have an idea.  Turn around.”  She patted the space in front of her, inviting Jessie to move closer, and the cowgirl obliged.  Bo set Jessie’s hat on the desk and untied the yellow bow at the end of her friend’s braid, using her slender fingers to separate its sections.  “There, now shake your head.”

Long strands of red yarn fell loosely across Jessie’s shoulders as she tossed her head from side to side.   

From Buzz’s vantage point below, the sunlight behind the cowgirl caught her silhouette at just the right angle.  She seemed to glow from within as her hair bounced gracefully and danced in the breeze, framing her face.  He had always found her beautiful; and he had more than once imagined what her hair might look like set free from its braid.  But here, seeing it in reality surpassed all his fantasies.  He stared, mouth agape and eyes wide as saucers, completely mesmerized and unable to turn away.  The video game controller slipped from his grasp and clattered on the wooden floor. 

“Buzz , what’re you doing?!?” Rex cried, waving his tiny arms in exasperation.  “I died!  Now I have to start that level all over again!”

The space ranger was snapped abruptly back into reality.  “S-s-sorry, Rex, I-I don’t know what came over me.”  Shaken, and utterly distracted, he attempted to return his focus to the game.   

Bo looked down to the floor and grinned, pleased by the commotion her simple idea had caused. 

Jessie turned to face her friend.  “Is that it?” the cowgirl asked, fingering a strand or two of hair thoughtfully.  “That’s all I have to do?”

Bo thought for a moment.  "Well... it's certainly a start..." she commented.  "We just need something else to really get his laser firing."  Her ponderings were interrupted when the perfect opportunity presented itself, a gust of wind swirling through the open window and carrying Jessie’s hat with it onto the floor, only to land less than a foot away from where Buzz was sitting.

“My hat!”  Jessie stood and stepped to the edge of the desk, watching it float away.

“Now’s your chance,” the shepherdess instructed.  “Go get it, but take your time.  Make him weak in the knees.  Well, weak _er_.”  She winked.

Jessie gave Bo an understanding smirk.  “I think I know jus’ what to do.  I got this.”  She jumped down onto the desk chair and then to the floor below.

Buzz saw Jessie coming.  Oh boy, did he see her.  And he couldn’t take his eyes off her.  Jessie – the same Jessie he had seen every day for the past year, but never like this.  Not with that hair swinging so teasingly – brushing across her shoulders, back, and chest with each step she took – and making his mind wander to places he dared not let it go.  He wanted nothing more at that moment than to take her in his arms and run his fingers through those taunting scarlet tresses, and to let her overtake his senses completely. 

The space ranger had set himself up for trouble.  It only took a few strides of the cowgirl’s long legs for her to reach him, and his mouth went dry when he became certain that she was going to speak to him, looking like that.  _‘Blast,’_ he cursed himself inwardly, as he felt heat coursing through his circuits, and an unwelcome sensation returning in his jetpack.  _‘Not again.’_

“Howdy, Buzz,” Jessie purred, his name rolling off her lips in a tone that was far more flirty than friendly.  As she passed him, she let her fingertips brush the seated space ranger’s shoulder ever so slightly.  Then the inevitable happened.

_Ka-chunk._

The cowgirl retrieved her hat.  When she returned past the scene of the crime, a very agitated Buzz was helping Rex back up, having knocked him over with the force of his extending wings.  She sauntered on by, a spring in her step and a grin spreading across her features, satisfied with the reaction she had just elicited.    

Bo looked down proudly at her friend and smiled.  “Good girl, Jessie,” she said softly to herself.  “You got him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was written by jessiejane10.


	4. Year Three

It was afternoon in late December. It had been raining for most of the day, and Andy was slumped at the kitchen table. The raindrops pattered against the windowsill and the young boy gave a groan of despair. 

Mrs. Davis was standing by the counter, mixing the batter for a cake. She turned to look over her shoulder at her young son fondly. Andy caught his mother’s eye and sighed.

“Mom, I’m bored.”  
  
“Why don’t you play with some of your new toys you got for Christmas?” Mrs. Davis suggested, turning back to add more milk to the mixture in front of her.  
  
“I played with them all already.” Andy complained.  
  
“Even the new Transformers I got you?” Mrs. Davis asked.  
  
Andy nodded. “Yeah, and they’re really awesome, Mom, but there’s only so many times I want to transform them back and forth from a really cool robot into a car, or a fire truck, or even that Movor one that turns into a space shuttle!”  
  
Mrs. Davis smiled to herself. “Speaking of which, I think a certain someone borrowed some of your toys for her tea party. How about you go play with Molly?”  
  
Andy’s eyes widened. “Mom! She’s a girl!”  
  
“And your sister.”  
  
“Which only makes it worse.” Andy grimaced. “She’s such a snot.”  
  
“Andy Davis!” Mrs. Davis threw the spoon she was using into the bowl and turned around to face her ten-year-old son. “For that, you can march yourself right upstairs to play with your sister. And no arguments!”

* * *

“Remind me never to say I’m bored in front of Mom again,” Andy muttered to Woody under his breath. He was sitting in his little sister’s room. Three-year-old Molly was toddling about, messing with the toy kitchen set she had received as a generous present for Christmas.  
  
“Andy? Do ya want some cakey?” She lisped from behind the ‘kitchen’, opening the miniature oven door and bringing out a fake sponge cake on a plate.  
  
Andy sighed a little and rolled his eyes. “Fine.”  
   
“It’s good cake,” Molly lisped, bringing it over to the table. She set it down, moved Jessie from the table to a chair, then pinged Buzz’s helmet open so he could eat some of the ‘cake’.  
  
“Heehee, Andy play.” She giggled, flopping down on her rear end and waving her arms about. Andy gave another sigh and made Woody ‘drink’ from a plastic teacup.  
  
“Kids! How about some real cake?” Mrs. Davis shouted up from the kitchen, and Andy grinned widely. His mother’s interruption meant only one thing – freedom.  
  
“C’mon Molly!” He dropped Woody on the table and hoisted the still giggling toddler into his arms, almost running from the room in his attempt to get away from the girly game.  
  
When the two children were gone, Woody lifted himself into a sitting position. Jessie crawled onto the table next to him, and Buzz shifted in the plastic chair he had been stuck into.  
  
“I’ve never been to a tea party before,” Jessie said thoughtfully. She prodded the plastic cake that still sat in the middle of the table. “Can’t say I’m a huge fan, though.”  
  
Woody grinned. “It’s not the first one I’ve been to. Probably won’t be the last, either.” He smirked and glanced at Buzz. “Of course,  _some_  of us would rather it be our last.”  
  
Jessie tilted her head at her brother. “What do you mean?”  
  
Woody kept the smile on his face.  “Oh I think a certain toy amongst us enjoys the odd tea party more than he lets on.”  
  
Jessie blinked, and looked across at Buzz, who was still struggling to get out of the plastic chair he had been wedged into. “Buzz?”  
  
“W-w-what?” Buzz’s head snapped up as he finally wrestled himself out of the chair prison.  
  
“You like tea parties?”  
  
Buzz’s face went white as he realised what the other two were talking about. “Erm..” the flashback to two years previous made him just as uncomfortable now as it did around the time.  
  
"Sure,” Woody butted in to answer for Buzz. “He loves them. He even gets dressed up, dontcha Buzz?”  
  
“U-u-u-uh...” This was _not_ good, and Buzz knew it. Noticing Buzz’s chagrin, Woody pressed on, much to the spacetoy’s horror.  
  
“He even changed his name at the last one. Refused to be addressed by the name Buzz Lightyear at all…”

Buzz was utterly dumbstruck by what Woody was doing. Across from him, Jessie’s eyes widened for a moment as Woody went on.

“As I also recall, when I caught up with him in the middle of it all, he had some sort of frantic, nervous breakdown. Gabbling and all sorts about being a sham and not being able to fly. I think he may even have mentioned the name he wanted to be called by….what was that now…?” Woody put a hand up to his chin, thinking for a moment or two.

Buzz couldn’t believe it. He swallowed; this was nothing short of a train wreck. He stayed silent, hoping Woody wouldn’t remember what the name was. If the cowboy did, then he, Buzz Lightyear, could probably wave goodbye to any romantic intentions he might have had towards the little cowgirl sitting in proximity to him right now.

“Ms Nesbitt, wasn’t it, Buzz?” Woody turned to grin widely at the distraught space toy.  
  
Buzz blinked and shuffled backwards, casting a glance at Jessie. To his surprise, she didn’t look very amused by Woody’s antics at all. To further his astonishment, she then reached out and pinched Woody sharply on the arm, making the cowboy yelp.  
  
“Leave him alone, Woody, ya big meanie,” she said firmly. “Can’t you see he’s mortified enough as it is?!” She gestured across at Buzz, who was blinking fast in an effort to keep calm.  
  
Woody glanced between Jessie and Buzz, and was about to spill the beans even more about Buzz’s time at Hannah’s tea party when they heard footsteps in the hallway. Andy came running back in as they all dropped back into toy mode.  
  
The young boy picked Woody up off the table. “C’mon Woody! There’s homemade cinnamon and pecan sponge cake downstairs!” He yanked Woody’s pull string and the voice box sounded.  
  
 _"Yee-haw! Giddyup, pardner! We've gotta get this wagon train a-movin!”  
_  
Andy gave a delighted laugh and turned to run from the room. From down the hall Jessie and Buzz could hear the voice box sound again.  
  
 _"This town ain’t big enough for the two of us!”_

Jessie hoisted herself into an upright position before straightening her hat. She looked over at Buzz, who was sitting there on the tea table with a mortified expression on his face. He hadn’t dared to look at her, she noticed, which made a change from the usual.  
  
“Don’t worry about what Woody was saying, Buzzy. You know I don’t think any less of you, right?”  
  
Buzz couldn’t bring himself to look at her. “Y-y-you don’t?”  
  
“Nah, silly britches. Why would I? I think it’s kinda cute.” Jessie smiled brightly.  
  
“O-oh.” Buzz stuttered, finally lifting his head. Their gaze met and he gulped. She was radiating a warm stare in his direction, something he hadn’t been expecting. Shyly, he felt a small smile prick the corners of his mouth – and an all too familiar heat prod at his wing tips, too.  
  
The moment was dashed when she stood up to come over to him. As she settled back down to kneel directly in front of him, her chest came about level with his eyes. Within a moment or less there was an audible  _ka-chunk_  as he lost the battle with his innermost thoughts, and his wings popped out.   
  
Jessie’s eyes widened as she watched the wings tips blink red and green, then gave him a amused look. “However, we should really do something about that problem of yours.”

“P-p-p-problem?” Buzz stuttered, shuffling backwards a little more. “I don’t have a p-p-p-problem.”

Jessie leaned over to push the red button on his chest and gave him a wink. “I think you do, Buzzy boy. I seriously think you do.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was written by Diane Clifford.


	5. Year Four

Spring had finally arrived, following a long, cold winter.  On the first warm Saturday, the Davis household burst into excitement with the announcement that they would be visiting the zoo that day, to see the new baby panda.  After hurried preparations, the family’s car pulled out of the driveway and Andy’s toys scattered, each enjoying the freedom to do as they wished on what would be a long day to themselves. 

Downstairs in the living room, Woody, Bo, Buzz, and Jessie sat on the sofa.  Just as they had been doing for the past four years, the cowboy and shepherdess were trying their best to nudge the would-be couple along, by watching a romantic movie together and dropping none-too-subtle hints.  But even after all this time, their efforts had resulted in only minimal progress.  Buzz was better around the cowgirl until the talk turned to romance, at which point he would return to a stuttering mess; and Jessie’s attempts to flirt with the space ranger only flustered him further.  This day’s experience proved no different, and the established couple was starting to get exasperated with their lack of matchmaking success. 

A large vehicle rumbled by on the road outside the Davis home, and its vibrations were felt by the toys just before they heard the squeak of brakes bringing it to a halt.  The quartet stood in their seats to investigate the source of the sound, and outside the window they saw a white moving truck parked across the street, the name _Eggman Movers_ painted on its side. 

“Looks like we’re getting new neighbors,” Jessie pointed out.

“Hey, that truck looks familiar,” observed Bo.  “Aren’t those the same movers who brought us here?”

“Yeah, they are,” Woody confirmed.  “I will never forget that truck, not after what we went through to catch it.”  Buzz chuckled at the memory. 

Jessie’s curiosity was piqued.  “What happened?  Y’all never told me that story.”

“I told you about that,” stated Woody casually, still watching the activity outside.  “How we chased the truck on RC, after Buzz and I escaped from Sid’s house?”

“No, ya didn’t,” Jessie countered.  “You told me about Sid’s house ’n all, but not the part about RC.”

“You want to tell her, Buzz?” the cowboy smirked.  “Bo and I can leave you two alone to talk.”

The space ranger’s eyes widened in fear.  “I- I- I-”

“Oh good grief, that’ll take forever,” Woody groaned.  “Sit back down, I’ll tell ya, Jess.” 

The cowgirl sat, engrossed, as Woody recounted the tale of how they escaped Sid’s horrific yard and pursued the moving truck down the road on the back of the little remote control car.  Buzz gained some confidence and joined in the retelling, both he and Bo adding details that their friend left out.  As soon as the story was finished, Jessie became inspired.

“That sounds like fun!  I wanna ride on RC!”  She stared, hopeful and bright-eyed, at the two male toys.

“Don’t look at me.  Once on that wild ride was enough.”  Woody’s face twisted into a slightly-evil grin as an idea struck him.  “But Buzz will take you.”

“W-what?  Who, m-m-m-me?”  Buzz panicked at the prospect of such close quarters with the cowgirl.  “Uh, Woody, do you really think that’s a good idea?  It could be dangerous, we could crash—”

“Aw, c’mon, since when is Buzz Lightyear afraid of a little _danger_?” teased Woody.

“B-but—”  The space ranger’s protests were cut short as soon as Jessie’s pleading green eyes met his own. 

“Please, Buzz?” she begged, her hands clasped expectantly.

“O-o-okay,” he relented, incapable of disappointing her. 

With a squeal of excitement, Jessie leapt forward and hugged the space ranger around the neck.  “Thanks a heap!” she exclaimed, as she released him from her grasp only to grab hold of his hand.  Before Buzz could regain his composure, the cowgirl leapt from the couch and dragged the bewildered space toy up the stairs and in the direction of Andy’s room.

Left alone on the sofa, Woody reclined, settling in for some alone time with his girl.  He began surfing the channels for something new to watch, and Bo snuggled against his shoulder. 

“You’re bad, Sheriff,” she teased.  “But I like it.” 

* * *

 

Jessie didn’t stop talking the whole time they were climbing the stairs, but Buzz didn’t hear a word the cowgirl said.  Her voice was drowned out by the racing of his own thoughts, as he agonized over the idea of being alone, and cozy, with the girl he so desperately wanted and hopelessly loved.

 _‘Keep it together, Lightyear, you can do this,’_ he attempted to convince himself. _‘Who am I kidding? I can’t do this.  I’ll mess it up like everything else.  Blast!  Why can’t I just tell her how I feel?’_

“Yoo hoo!  Are ya in outer space?” 

Buzz was jolted back to reality by the sight of Jessie’s face close to his, her hands on her hips impatiently and an amused smile spreading across her countenance.  They had arrived at Andy’s doorway.

“N-n-n-o, I’m here,” he managed to get out, then took a deep, calming breath before continuing.  “O-once we find RC, his remote should be in the closet.”

It didn’t take long for them to track down the toy car, who was watching a heated game of Battleship between Mr. Potato Head and Hamm.  Buzz pulled RC aside and explained their request, while Jessie ran to the closet to find the remote.  The car revved in agreement.

“Got it!” 

The space ranger jumped, not expecting the cowgirl to return so soon, let alone sneak up on him.  She stood there proudly, remote in hand.                                                 

“I- I should probably drive, since I have e-e-experience—driving,” Buzz stammered.  He turned away from Jessie and tried to focus solely on the task of situating himself securely on the vehicle.

“Okay!” Jessie shoved the remote into Buzz’s hands and made herself comfortable, straddling the back of RC and sliding up behind the space ranger.  He felt like his cheeks were about to burst into flame as the cowgirl’s arms encircled his waist, pulling herself even closer.  “Well, what are ya waitin’ for?  Let’s GO!”

Buzz eased the car into motion, and gradually accelerated as they traveled out of Andy’s bedroom and down the hallway.  He drove cautiously, guiding them carefully around the turns into Mrs. Davis’s room first and then across the hall into the guest room.  Jessie was enjoying both the ride and being alone with Buzz, but she knew this was nothing like the wild chase he and Woody had experienced.  She pressed her body more tightly against the space ranger’s back and rested her chin on his shoulder, her mouth next to his ear.

“Faster!” she cried.

Buzz shivered at the feeling of the cowgirl’s breath on his neck, but collected himself enough to switch the lever on the remote and pick up some speed.  He raced down the hallway once more, into Molly’s room and back across to Andy’s room, before skillfully skidding to a halt.  Jessie released her hold on his waist to straighten her hat, and the space ranger hopped off of RC to make his retreat.

“You’re not goin’, are ya?” Jessie called after Buzz, who turned to meet her disappointed look.  “I wanna drive, too, and I need your help.” 

As much as his nerves were telling him to escape, there was nothing the conflicted space ranger wanted more than to be with Jessie and to make her happy.  _‘Blast, those eyes,’_ Buzz thought, powerless to resist.  _‘I can’t say no to those eyes.’_

“I-I-I guess we can do t-that,” he caved, unable to keep the shakiness of his voice at bay. 

“You’re the best!”  She slid forward on the back of RC and patted the space behind her, indicating where Buzz was to sit.  The space ranger gulped and took a seat, leaving some distance between them.

“Scoot closer, I need ya to hold on to me!  You don’t want me flyin’ off at the first turn, do ya?”

Again, he was helpless against the cowgirl’s requests.  He closed the gap between them and eased his arms around her waist, for the first time ever.  She felt so soft, and so small against his bulky frame, yet somehow it felt perfectly right.  And that hair—that yarnful of hair right in front of him.  He had imagined a moment like this so many times, and now she was so near that he could barely breathe.  Buzz’s heart began to pound as a familiar, unwelcome sensation pulsed through his wings, and he willed himself to suppress it, with all his might.  _‘No, not now!  I’m not going to ruin this.  Besides, it would be bad for aerodynamics.’_

Wheels screeching, the car peeled off and out of Andy’s room without warning.  But this time, instead of following their previous route, Jessie headed to the stairs.  Buzz was too shocked and terrified to waste a second in stuttering.

“Jessie!  What are you doing?!?”

“Takin’ us on a real ride!  This is more like it!”

RC flew down the stairs and shuddered as he bounced off the treads, making a rough landing at the bottom.  Jessie jerked the wheel on the remote sharply to the right, and the vehicle spun into the living room, where Woody and Bo cuddled on the couch.  Startled by the speed at which the car zoomed past, the couple rose to their feet at the sudden racket and watched their friends careen around the corner and into the next room. Jessie proceeded to drive laps around the lower level, forcing Buzz to duck as they tunneled between table legs, dodged furniture, and startled a sleeping Buster.  The dachshund roused and ran after the toys, barking playfully at what he saw as a game.  When they approached the kitchen for a third time, Jessie got an idea. 

“Lean back, Buzz!" 

Unable to do anything but comply, the space ranger did as he was told, and the shift of his weight allowed the front end of RC to lift up just enough to launch the vehicle through Buster’s dog door. 

“Yeeeeeeeehaw!”

Buzz instinctively tightened his grasp on Jessie as they made contact with the flap and rocketed through the opening, touching down safely on the other side.  The crisp spring air refreshed them and they sped around the back yard, sliding in the dirt and soft grass.  Jessie laughed gleefully as her braid whipped in the wind, slapping against Buzz’s chest, but he didn’t mind.  He relished the moment, and the chance to be with her with no awkward words needing to be spoken.  It was just the two of them, together.  Jessie glanced back quickly to smile at Buzz, and he was surprised when he found himself easily returning the smile.   

The pair could feel RC becoming sluggish beneath them, rapidly losing speed.   Jessie made a beeline for the back door and they used the car’s last push of energy to launch them back through the dog door, the surge draining RC’s remaining battery power.  The little vehicle wheezed and lurched to a stop just inside the kitchen, sending the riders hurtling over its bumper. 

Concerned for her safety, Buzz rushed to the cowgirl’s side.  “Jessie!  Are you okay?”  He extended a hand to help her to her feet. 

“I’m fine,” she giggled, letting her hand linger on his once she stood.  “Thanks, Buzz.  That was a lot of fun.”

“It was my p-p-pleasure.”  Buzz paused, smiling faintly and daring to look Jessie in the eye, before quickly losing courage.  He diverted his gaze downward and let his hand drop from hers.  “We, uh, better help RC back up the stairs before the family returns.”  The space ranger hurried nervously in the direction of the exhausted little car.

Jessie watched after Buzz sadly as he walked away.  “Dangit, I thought that might do the trick,” she sighed to herself, then went to help him with RC. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was written by jessiejane10.


	6. Year Five

Who on earth took a nap in the middle of the day? Jessie could only name one toy.

_Buzz Lightyear._

He was over there on Andy’s bed right now, perfectly visible from her vantage on the windowsill. She smiled; he was lying on his back, one hand flung out to the side, and the other resting across his stomach. 

As she watched, she caught sight of his mouth moving ever so slightly. Her brow raised in wonder, and she slipped down off the sill and made her way across to the bed. Climbing up, she was careful not to tug at the bedspread too hard, lest she should wake the sleeping space ranger.

She reached the summit and threw herself over gently, pausing for a moment. Buzz didn’t stir, he only breathed in…and out….and in…and out. His face made an expression as he muttered something under his breath. Jessie knelt down on the bed, and crawled closer to the slumbering toy in front of her. His mouth moved again, two syllables.

She frowned. Taking off her hat, she grabbed her braid - so neither would flick in his face and disturb him - then leaned in close. He muttered again and Jessie clapped a hand over her mouth to keep from giggling to herself.

_He was murmuring her name._

She watched him sleep for a moment, then suddenly without warning he muttered a sentence she didn’t quite catch before his wings popped out sharply. This nearly drove her into fits of giggles, and she had to clap her other hand over the top of the one already on her mouth to stifle the mirth rising inside her.

Seeing the wings popped out with the tips blinking gave her a mischievous idea. She got up as quietly as she could, bursting with laughter, and ran to get the washable markers Andy used for his art class at school.

Five minutes later, Jessie stood back and admired her handiwork. On Buzz’s wings were written the words _“Jessie waz here”_ in bright red marker pen. She smiled, kneeling back down, and reached across him to press the red button on Buzz’s right panel so the wings retracted. Now to bide her time….

As the wings popped back in, Buzz shifted in his sleep, and Jessie scooted back, apprehensive that she’d woken him. Buzz’s eyes remained closed however, and he muttered something else a little louder this time, a little smile gracing his features.

For some reason, Jessie found herself smiling too, having heard what he muttered happily.

_“Mmm, Jessie. You taste nice.”_

* * *

“Did ya sleep well?”

The cowgirl’s voice was one of few things Buzz liked to be greeted with upon waking up. He yawned a little, and stretched. “Yeah…” He rubbed his eyes sleepily.

“What got you so tuckered out?” Jessie’s voice filtered into his brain. She was sitting in front of him, cross legged on the bed, her head propped up on her clenched fists, surveying him.

Buzz gave the cowgirl a cursory glance before answering. “Nothing. I just…I haven’t been sleeping too good the last few nights.” He omitted to mention the reason why was sitting about ten inches in front of him.

“Well it looked like you had a good sleep,” Jessie grinned with a wink.

“You w-w-were watching me?” Despite Jessie’s words, Buzz smirked at her.

Jessie sat up straight and a blush formed on her cheeks. “Not like tha-…well not totally, I just kind of saw you asleep from over on the windowsill..” she squirmed.

Buzz shrugged and picked himself up off the bed, rolling his shoulders back in their sockets and arching his back a little. “Well, now you can watch me as I go for a jog. That’s the only problem being made of plastic, you get locked up so fast in your joints,” he complained.

As Buzz jumped down off the bed, Jessie watched him go. He was starting over towards the television, and as he did so, she saw him reach down and press the red button on his chest panel. She saw the wings fly open with a loud CHUNK, right before he skidded to a stop.

She gasped, realising he had seen his reflection in the television. She started to get up as Buzz edged closer to the screen, but of course he couldn’t read the writing as it was backwards. She saw him look down to his wings…first to the right one, and then the left one.

He turned to face her, where she was frozen on the bed waiting for the reaction.

“Jessie!” he hollered, and she dashed for cover, squealing with laughter as he gave chase.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was written by Diane Clifford.


	7. Year Six

“Hit me,” Potatohead called. It was rare for him to speak during a game of cards. More often than not recently Mrs. Potatohead had been dragging him off to spend quality time with her and “the boys.” Thereby they were usually spared his mouth and instead dealt his arm and one eye in.

Today, however, Molly had taken Mrs. Potatohead out to school for show-n-tell, so the male spud had been granted a much needed reprieve. The female spud had been made up about being shown off to Molly’s classmates.

It was the fourth round of cards between them – Potatohead, Hamm, and Buzz. Rex was off playing computer games up on the desk, and Slinky was engrossed in yet another game of checkers just shy of the bed with Woody.

Hamm, as dealer, tossed another card to Potatohead. “Five,” he announced, eyes glancing over the other two cards in front of the spud – a king and a seven. “You bust. Pay up.”

Potatohead grumbled, and tossed his moustache into the middle of the circle, to join the arm, the hat, and the ear lying there already. “I needed another shave,” he commented, as Hamm collected the cards back up for the next round.

Buzz smirked, eyeballing the two other toys in tennis style. His vision was drawn to something – or rather someone – hurtling up to him in a normal playful fashion.

“Whatcha guys playing?” The redhead flopped down next to Buzz and peered at the cards Hamm was about to deal.

“Blackjack. You in?” Potatohead asked, and Jessie shrugged.

Hamm spoke up. “Hey, if she’s gonna play, we need a fourth for poker.”

“Poker? Gee-whiz, that sounds like fun, right Buzz?” Jessie nudged the space toy sitting to her left.

Buzz coughed. “Sure…” He forced himself to remain neutral. Unfortunately his brain had other ideas, and the word poker separated itself into its two syllables.

“Whatcha thinking?” Jessie asked, and he shook himself out of it.

“N-n-nothing. Let’s play some poke her….I mean poker,” Buzz stammered, hoping the others hadn’t heard his slip.

“Great.” Potatohead threw up his remaining arm. “Bye-bye, other detachable limbs. Nice knowing you.”

Hamm rolled his eyes at the spud and started to deal out the cards and allocated some chips to each player. Each toy picked up their cards and looked at them. Jessie, however, peeked over Buzz’s shoulder. It didn’t go unnoticed.

“U-uh…can I help you?” Buzz stuttered, for once being able to rein himself in a bit.

“Sure, can you explain to me how to play?” Jessie fluttered her lashes just enough for him to notice.

“Uh….uh….okay…well…” Buzz started, as she gazed at him. “F-f-first, don’t look at the other players c-c-cards.”

“How come?” Jessie asked, sitting back a bit, and widening her eyes.

“B-b-because….you just don’t.” Buzz shuffled away from her a little, creating a few inches gap. Unfortunately for him, she shuffled along too, following him.

“But if I don’t look at your cards, how will I know what to do?” She pouted prettily at him and Buzz about lost his senses.

“I’ll just tell you.” He turned back to his cards, the symbols and numbers blurring in front of his eyes; he was overwhelmed by her. He blinked, refocused, and started to repeat a mantra in his head.  _“Don’t look at her, don’t look at her…she can’t get to you if you don’t look at her…”_

“I can’t do that. I’m more of a  _visual_  learner.” Jessie’s voice met his ears, soft and silky as she purred the sentence out.

“Oh…ah….I-I….” His mind raced. Buzz felt that familiar feeling coursing through him once more. It took all of his efforts to force it back, and was thankful when he was saved by Hamm’s interruption.

“Hey, space boy. You playing or what?”

“Oh….y-yeah…hang on a second.” Buzz glanced back down at his cards, now unblurred, staring at them blankly. A flash of red slightly to his right made him turn his head. Jessie had invaded his personal space to peek at his cards again, her elbow resting on the shoulder of his space suit. The mantra flew out of his head.  _Damn._

“Jessie?” He managed.

“Yep?”

“Don’t…l-l-look.”

“Oooh, why, is it a secret?”

“Yeah. I mean no. I mean yes,” Buzz stammered out. Quickly, he pulled out a king from his deck of cards, and tossed it down to the discard pile.

“Um, Buzz?” Jessie asked quizzically, eyeing the card sitting by itself on the floor between the four toys.

“Yeah?” Buzz had all but buried his head in his cards.

“I thought I wasn’t supposed to see your cards.”

“You’re not.” Buzz mumbled, avoiding any eye contact at all by bringing his handful of cards even closer to his face.

“Then why did you throw that one down?”

“Because we’re playing…” Buzz stopped and glanced over the cards. Mr. Potatohead and Hamm were staring, along with Jessie. However the other two male toys just looked irritated. Jessie, on the other hand, had that cute,  _oh so cute_  smile playing on the very corners of her mouth. All too late, Buzz realised he had gotten himself mixed up between his card games. He coughed once, and cleared his throat. “I was just testing you guys…ahem. I thought I’d just throw that out there – literally, ha ha – and see if you guys would twig I was trying to trick you into playing a little gin rummy – ha ha…”

He was met with silence. Buzz coughed again. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Jessie’s little smile grow a little as she watched him become more flustered. Buzz shifted uncomfortably and leaned in to take back the card. He quickly shuffled it back into his pack of cards and waited. There was silence.

“I’ll say it again, space boy. You gonna play or what?” Hamm said, his tone not amused in the slightest. “Some of us have other supervisory duties to do today, ya know.”

“Oh. Oh!” Buzz blinked and snapped out of his momentary trance. He picked up a chip in front of him, looked at it, and put it back again. “Actually, speaking of duties…I have someplace else I need to be.”

“You do?” Jessie looked surprised.

“Yeah. I have that thing, you know, that thing...that um…” Buzz clicked his fingers and pretended to think to himself for a moment. “That thing Woody asked me to do the other day.” He started to get up and the others went back to staring at him once more.

“Why didn’t you say so before we started?” Hamm groaned, throwing down his cards in frustration.

“I um…forgot. It was only you saying about your other duties…Hamm…that I remembered that important thing Woody needed me for…I’ll go and see if he’s free…excuse me!” Buzz cast another look at Jessie, tossed down his cards, and all but raced away from the little group towards the other side of the bed.

“Well,” Mr. Potatohead commented as he stretched out his one remaining arm and hoisted himself to his feet, beginning to help Hamm collect up the discarded cards and chips pooled around them, “At least I get to keep the rest of my detachable limbs.”

“For now,” Hamm kidded the potato figure as he dumped some of the chips back into his coin slot.

Jessie smiled wanly at the two other toys joshing. She glanced in the direction Buzz had gone, but he was not to be seen. She reached across to pick up the three cards he had dropped, and turned them over. She’d already seen the king of clubs that Buzz had thrown down.

She didn’t pay too much attention to the remaining pair, except to note they would have been the perfect hand for blackjack. But unknown to her, Buzz had seen it all in a very different light.

_The red headed queen of diamonds and the ace of hearts._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was also written by Diane Clifford. :) We didn't alternate chapters this time, because of the order of the topics that we each chose to write on.


	8. Year Seven

Buzz knew he couldn’t fight it.  She had him wrapped around her little plastic finger.

The space ranger stood with Jessie by the back door of the Davis house.  It was past midnight, and the family was all fast asleep.  On the other side of the door and in the backyard lay the one thing the cowgirl wanted most (well, other than the space toy beside her):  the new trampoline that Mrs. Davis had just purchased the day before.  The equipment was intended for Molly – now seven and becoming quite skilled in gymnastics – to practice her tumbling; but if the truth was to be told, her fourteen-year-old brother was just as excited to have it.

The toys had watched from Andy’s bedroom window as the trampoline was assembled in the flattest corner of the Davises’ fenced-in yard.  Large and round, with tall safety netting encircling it, it looked like a virtual island to the toys; and immediately, Jessie had her heart set on trying it out – with one toy in particular.  Terrified by the thought of it being just the two of them in such a private setting, Buzz had managed to stall her the first night; but twenty-four hours later Jessie was even more determined, and the space ranger wasn’t coming up with any valid excuses.  If there was one thing he had learned about the cowgirl, it was that he was unable to deny her anything she asked of him. 

Buzz and Jessie had been spending more time together over the past year.  Andy was now in high school; and although his toys had been relegated to the toy box, he was away from home more often, allowing them plenty of freedom.  It caused the toys concern, however, as they were painfully aware that their owner was paying less and less attention to them.  Jessie worried most of all, having been through these circumstances before; and she often sought out Buzz’s company, his calm strength serving as a comfort to her, and the elation she felt when they were together a welcome distraction.

Despite the smitten space ranger’s nerves around the cowgirl, his instinct was, first and foremost, to protect Jessie in her vulnerable moments.  It saddened him to see her face clouded with anxiety, her lively spirit dulled by the thoughts that weighed heavily on her mind from time to time; and he found that his stuttering uneasiness subsided whenever she needed reassurance and support.  He still went into a panic at the thought of being alone with her, but found that he was more able to compose himself if it meant he could make her happy.    

So here they stood, ready to venture out into the night – alone.  Buzz politely held the flap of Buster’s dog door open so that Jessie could step outside, then followed her onto the patio.  The night was clear and quiet, with the faint song of crickets filling the air, and the full moon provided plenty of illumination for the two toys as they worked in tandem to carry a folding lawn chair across the yard and set it up next to the trampoline.  They climbed easily onto the chair and up to the opening of the safety netting, then took their first tentative steps onto the trampoline’s surface.    

As soon as his feet hit the springy platform, the athletic space ranger was surprised to find himself stumbling clumsily, his somewhat-top-heavy form throwing him off balance.  Jessie, in contrast, took to bouncing with ease, gradually building momentum and height as she gained mastery of her movements.  All the while, she laughed good-naturedly as she watched her friend stagger and fall on the unsteady floor. 

The cowgirl bounded over to Buzz, who had yet again landed rather ungracefully in a seated position, and began jumping next to him, causing him to pop up and down in place.  When she flopped cross-legged beside him, though, she couldn’t help but notice the frustrated and dejected look on the space toy’s face.  Regretting her teasing, and wanting to make it up to him, she was struck by an idea. 

“C’mere,” Jessie beckoned, her green eyes brilliant in the moonlight.  She stood and held out her hands in front of her, inviting the space ranger to take them in his own.  “Jump with me.” 

Buzz looked up at her and exhaled.  _‘You can do this,’_ he told himself.  He’d taken her hand to help her up many times before, right?  _‘Nothing different here…n-nothing at all…’_  

He wobbled to his feet and grasped the cowgirl’s tiny fingers in his larger ones; and for the first time he really studied them, connected.  His hand practically engulfed hers; yet he couldn’t help but think that their entwined fingers felt like a perfect fit.  With this awareness, the corners of his mouth curled into a small, crooked smile. 

Jessie smirked, guessing at what thoughts might be going through his head.  “Earth to Buzz,” she giggled.  “Jump already!”

“Oh!  R-right.”

The two toys slowly bounced as one, hands clasped, their eyes daring to meet only to hastily divert elsewhere.   After a few minutes of practice, Buzz found he was able to steady himself, and his added weight propelled him with greater force, releasing his hands from Jessie’s.  Soon the space ranger was his usual athletic self, pulling off daring flips and turns in an attempt to impress his intended girl. 

Jessie, too, felt the urge to show off.  Competing with his stunts, she flipped and cartwheeled and rebounded as well, all the while making sure that he was watching her at her tricks.  Before long her hat had been discarded to the side and wisps of auburn yarn had fallen loosely around her face. 

The space ranger was indeed watching, and was duly impressed.   ‘ _How does she do it?’_  he pondered.  ‘ _Does she even realize how beautiful she is?_ ’  He felt lightheaded, and not from the variations in altitude.    

In his distracted state, Buzz wasn’t being as cautious as he normally would have been.  Suddenly Jessie came careening towards him, without warning or sufficient time to react.

The space ranger and cowgirl tumbled into a tangle of limbs, the elasticity of the trampoline vaulting them out of control.  They struck the safety netting and ricocheted back to the surface, making a very bumpy and ungainly landing.   

Buzz shook his head to regain his senses, only to discover that Jessie was beneath him.  Her eyes fluttered open and locked with his, and she gazed back at him, heavy-lidded.  Instead of panicking, however, the space ranger paused, caught up in the moment.  Without thinking, he reached up and brushed a single strand of yarn from the cowgirl’s face, tucking it tenderly behind her ear.  Jessie’s eyes brightened at the touch, and happiness illuminated her features. Both toys’ hearts raced in unison, simultaneously exhilarated and petrified by their close proximity.  Then Buzz felt the sensation he dreaded most tingling in his wings.  Realizing how boldly he had just acted, and desperate to avoid another embarrassing jetpack ejection, he hastily rolled off the cowgirl. 

“S-sorry!  I-I’m sorry.”

Buzz began to sit up, but was stopped by Jessie’s hand pressing gently against his chest.

“It’s okay.”  She was facing him, smiling softly.  “Please don’t go.  I don’t wanna get back in the toybox jus’ yet.”

Sensing the sorrow in Jessie’s voice, that she was trying – and failing – to hide, Buzz’s protectiveness won out over his awkwardness.  He smiled in return – relieved that his impulsive actions hadn’t upset her or driven her away – and reclined next to the cowgirl.  The two laid wordlessly side by side, staring upward, uncertain what to say next.

Jessie finally broke the silence.  “Bouncin’ like that – is that what flyin’ feels like?  Free – like your worries can’t touch ya?”

“W-well, I’ve never _actually_ flown, per se, but I’d say, yes, it’s similar.”

“I wasn’t even thinkin’ about Andy the whole time.”   The cowgirl spoke with an uncharacteristically small voice.  “What’s gonna happen to all of us?  He hasn’t so much as looked at us in forever.” 

Buzz turned his head to address her.  “Nothing is going to happen to us, Jessie,” he soothed.   ‘ _Especially to you_ ,’ he vowed to himself.  ‘ _I won’t let it_.’ 

Not wanting her fears about their future with Andy – and what that meant for her potential future with Buzz, as well – to tarnish an otherwise perfect night, Jessie fought back the negative thoughts plaguing her mind and changed the subject.

“Tell me about space, Buzz.”

The space ranger gladly obliged, pointing out stars and constellations and visible planets in the dark canopy above them.  He found it easy to talk to Jessie about something that he was so knowledgeable about, and the cowgirl listened attentively, captivated by his enthusiasm.

“Sounds amazin.’”  Jessie scooted herself just near enough to the space toy to rest her head against his shoulder.  “If… if we were real… would ya take me there?”

Buzz closed his eyes, savoring the softness of her hair brushing against his cheek.  “S-sure, if you w-wanted me to.”

Jessie grinned.  “Course I would.”  She reached over and rested a hand on the space ranger’s arm, cuddling a little closer.  “Jus’ a few more minutes, ‘kay?  This is nice.” 

Buzz’s breath caught in his throat at her touch; all he could muster was an affirmative nod.

Soon the two toys would have to go inside, and resume their positions in the toy box before Andy woke for school.  But for now, they were content.  Little did they know, as they lingered together in the moonlight, that they both were making the same wish upon the starry sky.

_‘I wish had the nerve to tell you how I feel.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was written by jessiejane10.


	9. Year Eight

“Where’s that bonding strip?” Buzz called.

He was lying on the skateboard under his spacecraft, making repairs as usual that morning. He had roped Hamm into passing him the tools he needed to complete the work.

“What’s that, Buzz?” The voice he heard certainly didn’t belong to Hamm. He hadn’t been expecting that!

“The b-b-b-bonding s-s-s-strip.” He tried to keep the quiver from his voice – and failed.

“You mean the tape?”

“U-uhh huh.” He kept his back firmly on the skateboard, and tried to remain business like, despite the heat he could feel working its way up his midsection. “Its right out there…the w-white stuff on the roll…..just pass a length of it under…w-would you?”

He extended his right hand and waited……..

…..and waited…..

He flexed his fingers, went to go and look down at them, just in case she’d passed it to him and he hadn’t realised….

….and then there she was, right in his comfort zone.

“Oh!” Buzz gasped out. They were merely inches apart in the enclosed space under the paper made spaceship. Jessie was crouched down besides him, holding out the tape right near his chest panel.

“Hi J-Jessie. Where’s H-Hamm?” Buzz shifted his eyes from her to the underside of his craft.

“He got bored and said he’d rather supervise. So I said I’d take over. I got you the tape.” She grinned broadly, placing it near his left hand which was braced on the underside shell of his spacecraft.

“T-t-thanks.” He reached out to take it and she pulled her hand back.

“Come and get it,” She teased, waving it around in a loop. His reflexes were not as sharp as they should be, due to being a bundle of nerves, so every time he tried to take it, she would move her hand again and he would miss.

“Jessie,” he whined a little. “Please?”

“Oh…..very well.” Her smile wasn’t as broad now, but it was still there. She handed him the tape, so it stuck around his second and third fingers, and as she retracted her hand, her fingers brushed over his ever so lightly.

He couldn’t be sure if it was completely deliberate, but then she made up his mind for him, ever so slightly closing her smaller fingers around his index finger only …..sliding them down to the very tip and then off his hand altogether.

He felt a breath catch in his throat and almost choked on it. She was staring up at him seductively, that wide smile back on her face. So innocent and yet….she knew what she was doing to him. He could see it written on her face. For a moment, neither of them spoke. His gaze lingered on her face as he raised his hand holding the tape to the underbelly of the ship……

“Don’tcha think you should be looking at what you’re fixin’?” Jessie’s voice snapped him straight out of the thought bubble he’d gotten stuck in.

“Oh!” He gasped for the second time in five minutes. “Yeah…heh….I guess so…” He went to attach the tape to the craft and found it had wound around his fingers, rendering it useless.

Jessie giggled. “Oh Buzz, you silly thing. I’ll get you another piece…..”

* * *

When the spaceship was fixed some time later – after a lot more teasing from Jessie, plus a seemingly never ending supply of useless pieces of tape - Buzz finally managed to get out of the enclosed area under the craft.

He pulled himself up off the skateboard, grateful to be able to move around. He stretched out his sore limbs, which were tense from not only his work, but also because Jessie had totally wound him up.

He looked around and spotted her pushing the tape dispenser under the end of the bed, lest Andy should see it when he returned to the room. He breathed an audible sigh of relief, at least she hadn’t bent over to complete the task.

He got up, his joints clicking from being in one position for so long and walked around to the back of the spaceship. He opened the cardboard door and peered inside. “At least you make a good job of _this_ , Lightyear.” He muttered to himself, casting another look over to the end of the bed. Jessie wasn’t there.

His eyes flicked about. Maybe she’d gotten tired of teasing him for a change. He was about to shut the door of the craft and walk away to ponder silently to himself when her voice sounded.

“Jiminy. Can you actually get _inside_ the spaceship, Buzz?”

He turned. She was standing there, her hands clasped prettily in front of her. She was using her big bright doe eyes on him, and it floored him.

“U-u-uh s-s-sure.” He stammered.

“Sweet mother of Abraham Lincoln!” I’d LOVE to see inside a real spacecraft!”

He regarded her for a moment before his eyes narrowed. “You’re mocking me, aren’t you?” It came out surprisingly calm, and he was startled at himself.

“Buzz!” Her eyes flew open in a shocked expression. “I would never do that!”

“Well,” Buzz debated with himself. “Let me just check that it’s all f-f-fine in there.” He paused before climbing inside the craft, peering around at the cardboard, checking for tears or rips of any kind.  He turned to the right – nothing there that required his attention. He nodded in satisfaction and turned back to the left….

….and came nose to nose with the red-haired cowgirl.

He couldn’t step back, and there was no room in the tight space for his wings to spring open. Mercifully, he managed to control the hot flush in his midriff a second time.

“Jessie..!” he squeaked, and then coughed to reinstate his normal voice. “Y-Y-you….shouldn’t b-be in here! Its not been d-d-deemed safe!”

“But it’s a spaceship, Buzz!” Her eyes were excited as they peered up at him. “It’s awesome!”

“It is..?” His eyes shifted about. Surely she wasn’t fooled by the cardboard container?

“Look at all these buttons!” she continued, turning away from him to poke at the inside of the craft. “Boop!” She shouted, pressing a button drawn on a control panel there. She pressed a few more ‘buttons’, complete with her own vocalised sound effects. “Boop! Boop! Boop! Man the exits, Captain! We’re all set for take off!”

Buzz laughed at her whimsical tone, and found himself shutting the cardboard door. Jessie turned to look over her shoulder, and threw him a glance that melted the poor spaceman into a puddle. “Captain? Will you come and look at the control panel? It’s doing something that isn’t quite right….”

Her smouldering eyes burned into his as his feet moved of their own accord. In the tight space, he played along with her imaginary scenario, reaching around her to press a fake button on the side of the ship.

“T-that should d-do it.” He murmured to her, as their bodies came within close proximity. He realised her eyes were still on his face before his nerves got the better of him and he stepped back again in a hurry.

“I m-m-mean….t-t-that s-s-s-should k-k-keep us in p-p-lace so we don’t t-t-take off just yet….I think I l-l-left s-s-something in the s-s-s-spaceport…” he babbled, before throwing open the spaceship door and bolting for it, muttering something akin to ‘damnit, Lightyear!’

Jessie watched him leave, a knowing smile on her face. “Run, Buzzy boy, run,” she giggled to herself, as she saw him head for the safety of the toy chest under the window.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was written by Diane Clifford.


	10. Year Nine

“Ugh! It’s so stiflin’ in here! I can’t take it anymore!”

Jessie yanked her hat off her head and threw it down next to her for emphasis. The half-asleep toys occupying Andy’s toy box stirred at the sound of her outburst. They had all been cooped up for two days straight, and it was wearing badly on the claustrophobic cowgirl. If the truth was to be told, it was wearing on everyone. 

Endless hours in the toy box were becoming the norm for Andy’s toys, as their 16-year-old owner was now spending more of his time at home in his room on his computer. Usually they could get out during the day for a little while, when the house was empty, or possibly at night, but this time was different. A friend whose parents were out of town had come home with Andy for the weekend, and with the unpredictability of a stranger in the house, the toys had to stay put. 

Bullseye scooted closer to Jessie and nuzzled her elbow, his eyes wide with concern. 

The cowgirl patted her horse on the head, then stood and stretched to reach the lid of the toy box, pushing it up slightly and peeking outside. Woody saw what she was doing and immediately called out to her.

“Jessie! You can’t open the box! What if someone sees you?”

“I don’t care, Woody,” she snapped. “I gotta get some air.”

Fortunately, Jessie saw that the room was dark and still. Squinting her eyes to adjust to even a little more light than what she was accustomed to inside the toy box – Buzz’s glow having faded somewhat after so many days without light to recharge it – she noticed that Andy’s alarm clock said 2:30 a.m. and both teenagers were fast asleep. She raised the lid just high enough to hoist herself out, and dropped silently to the floor below. 

Buzz watched her thoughtfully, his protective instincts regarding the cowgirl in full effect, and his need to know that she wasn’t in distress overpowering any nervousness he might have felt that second. The space ranger stood and turned to his friend. “I’ll go after her, Woody.” 

The cowboy nodded his thanks. “Just keep her out of trouble, okay?”

Moving cautiously – careful not to step on any of his friends, who were drifting back to sleep – the space ranger stealthily followed the cowgirl out of the toybox. Scanning the room, it didn’t take him long to find her. Jessie sat on the windowsill behind Andy’s desk, lost in thought. Knowing what that usually meant, and worried she was more upset than anyone realized, he decided he had to check on her. But speaking up to get her attention would take all the courage he had in him.

Buzz cleared his throat, trying to get her attention. She didn’t hear him. ‘Blast,’ he thought. Now he had to speak. 

“J-J-Jessie?”

This time the cowgirl responded. She turned and looked down from the windowsill with a smile.

“Hey Buzz.”

“Is everything o-o-okay?” 

“Oh yeah, I’m fine.” He knew by the tone of her voice she wasn’t being completely honest. “Jus’ couldn’t sleep is all. I’m sick an’ tired of being cooped up. I hardly know if it’s day or night.”

Buzz exhaled a sigh of relief, glad she seemed better than he expected at least, away from the confines of the box. “I know what you mean,” he agreed. “My joints have been locking up from a lack of activity.” Almost immediately he regretted what he had just said. ‘Blast, Lightyear, why did you have to say that? She’ll think you’re old and weak.’

“C’mon up here and join me.” Jessie patted the empty space next to her. “Maybe we can find somethin’ to do on the computer.” 

The space ranger grinned at the invitation, and eagerly climbed and flipped his way up the chair and front of the desk, showing off just a little. Jessie couldn’t help but smirk at his no-so-subtle attempt to impress her. 

The two toys came together in front of the open laptop. Buzz turned the computer to angle its light source away from the sleeping boys, while Jessie rearranged the desk’s clutter into a makeshift barricade. Satisfied that their activities were sufficiently concealed, Buzz knelt and swept his hand across the laptop’s mouse pad, bringing the screen to life. 

“What did you have in m-mind?” he asked, turning to the cowgirl who was suddenly sitting very close to him. 

“I dunno,” she shrugged, resting a hand on his arm, as if she needed to lean in for a better view of the screen. “Maybe a game or somethin’? Or some silly videos? Oh!” Jessie leapt up without warning, then plopped back down beside Buzz before he knew what had happened. “Let’s wear these so nobody hears us.”

The cowgirl stretched Andy’s headphones to reach across both of their heads, each getting one side. The large, cushioned headphones pushed them even tighter together, and Buzz caught his breath at the feeling of her face so near to his. 

Needing to find a distraction from the feelings aroused by Jessie’s close proximity, Buzz activated the touchpad once again, using it to click on the icon for the web browser. However, as soon as the internet opened, the pair was greeted with explicit images the curious teenage boys had failed to close before turning in for the night. Their eyes widened and jaws dropped in horrified embarrassment, as the two friends suddenly became very self-conscious, and the space ranger slammed the laptop shut in a panic. 

“W-w-why don’t we get out of here for a w-w-while,” he bravely suggested, trying to regain his composure. 

“Good idea,” Jessie quickly agreed, lifting the headphones off of their heads and setting them on the desk. “How ‘bout a movie in the living room?” 

Buzz leapt down to the floor first, then stood guard as Jessie descended herself. The two toys eased Andy’s bedroom door open then crept quietly down the stairs and into the living room. The space ranger retrieved the remote from the coffee table and they hoisted themselves up onto the sofa. 

Jessie took her hat off and set it to the side. “Find somethin’ funny. It’s been too long since I really laughed.” The cowgirl scooted close to the visibly nervous space ranger and let herself sink into the soft cushions.

Being so early in the morning, the pair had little luck finding anything beyond infomercials or movies of an equally-questionable nature to what they had seen on Andy’s computer. Finally, as they flipped through the channels, they stumbled upon something they could both agree on and be comfortable with: a marathon of the sitcom Friends. 

Soon they were chuckling at the misadventures of the six friends, who they had to admit made them think of the rag-tag family of toys they were a part of. 

“Who d’ya think is most like who?” Jessie asked, “I s’pose since Ross and Monica are brother and sister, that would hafta be Woody’n me. Woody’s neurotic enough, but I hope I’m not as crazy as her – okay, maybe I am a little – don’t answer that.” 

Buzz just smiled at her remark; he thought the cowgirl’s so-called craziness was cute. “I can see Bo as Rachel,” he contributed to the discussion. 

Jessie nodded. “Yup. But what about you?” she pondered. “You’re definitely not Joey, so I guess that makes you Chandler – ‘cause he’s Ross’s best friend, of course,” she added, with feigned innocence. 

Being familiar with the series, the space ranger knew of the connection between Chandler and Monica, and couldn’t help but wonder at her implications. “Y-y-yeah, I guess it does,” he concurred. 

Jessie continued, having fun with this game. “Who are Phoebe and Joey, then?” 

The two toys stared pensively at the television screen, puzzling over the question. 

“Mrs. Potato Head.”

“No. Barbie?”

“Maybe.”

“Hamm?”

“Uhhh…”

Before long they found themselves laughing hysterically at the comparisons, and decided those two characters were just impossible to cast from amongst their friends. 

As the pair settled back into watching the show, Buzz realized the opportunity he had. ‘She just compared us to a couple in a show. That’s a good sign, right?’ he asked himself. It didn’t hurt that they were watching episodes from the very season where Monica and Chandler were attempting to hide their blossoming relationship, either. 

The space ranger looked askance at the cowgirl doll sitting next to him. It was wonderful to see her smiling again, her green eyes shining in a way they hadn’t for weeks. His heart swelled, and as he stared down at her hand, resting idly next to her on the sofa as if inviting him to reach out for it, Buzz felt as if he was going to break out in a cold sweat. ‘You can do this, Lightyear,’ he tried in vain to convince himself. ‘It’s just her hand.’ Nevertheless, the space ranger found himself fretting about the angle of their hands, and whether he should attempt to entwine his fingers in hers or simply rest his hand on top. Just as he took a deep breath and began to lower his hand over hers, the cowgirl moved, and the moment passed. ‘Blast,’ he cursed inwardly, ‘I am such an idiot.’ 

Jessie, however, was not oblivious to what Buzz was trying to do. No sooner had he set his hand back down on the sofa where hers had been, than she placed her hand alongside his, their pinkies touching, hers resting ever so slightly on top. Both toys’ hearts were pounding, exhilarated by even this tiny bit of contact ; and neither was willing to move. After a while, though, disappointed that Buzz hadn’t tried to make any further advances, Jessie heaved a sigh, pulled her hand away, and rested it on her lap.

Once again, the space ranger reprimanded himself. ‘You’re ruining this,’ he thought. ‘Do something. Now or never.’ Trying yet again to muster up some courage, he dared glance at the cowgirl leaning ever so slightly forward as she focused on the television. Recalling something he’d seen in a movie – and that he’d seen Woody pull on Bo – he took a deep, fortifying breath and stretched his arms upward, resolving to try and wrap one around her, despite the feeling in the pit of his stomach like he would be sick from his nerves. 

Jessie, however, was one step ahead of him, and wasn’t going to fall for the oldest trick in the book. Before Buzz could lower his arm across her shoulder, she dove at him instead, snuggling into the crook of his arm and nuzzling her head into his chest. Stunned, he froze momentarily, his arm still stiffly extended, not sure how to proceed under these unexpected circumstances. But looking down at her, her soft form cuddled against him, he knew he couldn’t let this chance pass him by. Slowly, but deliberately, he rested his hand gently on her shoulder. 

Butterflies fluttered wildly in Jessie’s stomach at the sensation of Buzz touching her in such an unexpectedly affectionate manner. ‘Could this finally be it?’ she wished. They had come so far together in the past nine years, and yet there seemed so far still to go. 

The pair sat cuddled together for what felt like an eternity, neither wanting to ruin the moment. After some time – and assuming from Jessie’s stillness that the cowgirl had fallen asleep – Buzz was uncharacteristically emboldened by the night’s turn of events. He rested his cheek against the top of her head, savoring her closeness, then dared to plant a kiss on her yarn hair. Still very much awake, a look of utter contentment spread across Jessie’ face, and she turned to look up at him.

Buzz was shocked, but somewhat relieved to see that his actions were met by a warm smile from Jessie. Both toys sat in silence, hearts pounding, staring at each other, each wondering what the other was thinking and what they might do. But it was Jessie who first decided to throw all caution to the wind, leaning in and kissing Buzz softly on the lips. The space ranger was surprised to find himself easily returning the kiss – the first shared between them – and his hand traveled up her neck to grasp the back of her head, his fingers embedded in her yarn hair. He felt a warmth and pressure rising in his jetpack as the kiss intensified, but held it in with all his might. Jessie was here, with him, things were finally happening between them, and nothing was going to spoil it. 

Just as Buzz felt Jessie’s hand slide slowly up his thigh, however, Ross Geller’s voice bellowed ominously from the television’s speakers.

‘Get off my sister!!!’

Instantly Buzz pulled away and sat up with a start. He knew how easily they could get carried away, and he cared about her – no, loved her, if he was honest – too much to let it happen. And Woody – if he found out – he just couldn’t compromise his best friend’s sister.

“W-w-we shouldn’t – n-n-not that I don’t want to – blast, do I want to – b-but – it’s just – I m-must go.” 

The space ranger made a frantic leap off of the couch, and Jessie watched forlornly as his green glowing form raced up the steps. 

“Buzz! Wait!”

Had she been able to see around the corner, just upstairs, she would have seen her friend leaning against the wall, breath heavy, head hung in despair, retracting his wings. 

Jessie slumped on the couch and reached for her hat. “Well, I guess it’s progress,” she sighed, before turning the TV off and sliding to the floor. The cowgirl tugged at the end of her braid as she slowly climbed the stairs, thinking about what had just conspired with the space ranger she had such strong feelings for. “I hope.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was written by jessiejanelightyear.


	11. Year Ten

Buzz flipped open the compartment on his arm. The sticker that used to belong there under the plastic flap was long gone, scrunched into a ball at Sid’s house. For years, all that had been under the flap was a scratched, faded, unused area. But now Buzz had a use for it again at last.  
   
 _Notes._  
   
Not just any notes. These were things he was trying to commit to memory, lines he had heard Andy practising out loud. He’d watched his teenage owner swagger and strut, get all dressed up, comb his hair over onto one side in an attempt to look cool. But Buzz wasn’t interested in the whole preening side of things. He wanted – and needed – more of a hand with the vocabulary that accompanied such behaviour. For this was the moment he had been equally looking forward to and also dreading.  
   
He was going to have an entire conversation with Jessie.  
   
Not that he hadn’t attempted a conversation with her before. But she always managed to tip the scale in such a way that he felt he was blundering along and making a fool of himself.

_‘Well, not tonight,’_ he vowed to himself. Tonight he was going to show Jessie just what he was capable of.  
   
Glancing up from the words written on the inside of his arm flap, Buzz took a moment to fully appreciate the view. Andy, Molly and their mother had gone to visit some friends for a couple of days over the New Year and in the absence of their owner, the toys had strung leftover Christmas fairy lights and tinsel all around the room and over every available surface. Hanging from the lampshade in the centre of the room was a disco ball – which was really a large silver multi faceted tree bauble.  
   
The room was all set. The toys were going to have a excellent party, and Buzz was going to ask Jessie to dance. Right after he had his conversation with her. _‘No-’_ he paused in mid thought to correct himself, _‘-during the same conversation.’_  
   
Right now Rex was flipping through the channels slowly – Hamm by his side should they need to go round the loop in a hurry – looking for the right one so the toys could watch the ball drop in Times Square.  
   
That’s when Buzz saw her. She had just come in from down the hall, and Buzz guessed she’d been to Molly’s room. There was a strained look on the cowgirls face, and Buzz knew why.  
   
 _Bo._  
   
Woody had been reeling from the situation too, Buzz knew, and therefore it had not been a surprise when the cowboy had chosen to stay in the toy box and not participate in the festivities that evening. Buzz winced a little, feeling his friends’ pain acutely. No doubt Woody felt that his arm had been ripped off, much like it really had been all those years ago when he’d been ‘toy-napped’ by Al.  
   
With all his thoughts about his cowboy friend and his long lost love, he forgot that Jessie was nearby – that is, until a flash of colour in his peripheral vision jolted him into awareness. She had started to come closer _towards_ him, and Buzz suddenly felt like he couldn’t breathe. He resisted the urge in his mid section, quickly flipping the panel on his arm shut so she couldn’t see what was written there, and forced himself to smile at the approaching cowgirl.

“H-Hi… Jessie.” That was good, only one small stutter.  
   
“Heya Buzz!” She returned his greeting, complete with a smile that knocked the spacetoy sideways.  
   
“H-How are y-you?” He forced himself to remain neutral and calm, but his voice failed him a little more with each syllable.  
   
“I’m just fine. And you?” She was still grinning away like before, and he now found his resolve failing just a little too.  
   
“I’m good, I was just thinking… er…” he stopped for a moment, trying to quell his nerves, and she regarded him, tilting her head to one side ever so slightly.  
   
“Yeah? Whatcha thinking?”  
   
“I was just… er… I mean I was gonna say… um, that is…” he took a deep breath, forced himself to remember what his notes had said, and took the plunge. “I was just g-gonna say, did you hurt yourself when you fell on the bedroom floor?”  
   
Jessie blinked. They looked at each other for a split second before the poor space toy realised what he’d said.  “No!” He blurted, his eyes widened as Jessie gave him a confused look. He struggled to regain control. “I meant… uh… those those jeans! They would uh… they would look great when you fall from space…”  
   
Another confused look from Jessie tipped him off that this line too, was completely wrong. He flailed again inwardly, his nerves now completely shot to pieces, and decided to try again. He decided, for no good reason, to change tact. “I mean… that is to say… your eyes… yes, yes your eyes…” he was babbling now, but he was in too deep to back out of it. “Your eyes, they’re as green as…”  
   
He paused, coughed, and went to continue, but his mind had drawn a blank. _‘Think, Lightyear,’_ he scolded himself. _‘What things are green…?’_ Then he realised Jessie was still standing there, rolling her eyes in amusement.  
   
“I was kinda waiting to see what comes next…” she grinned again and he swallowed.  
   
“Oh yes! Your eyes… where was I?… well… they’re green… and erm… they’re nice! Yes, they’re nice… and you can erm… well you can er… how about a dance?”  
   
Buzz stopped babbling for a moment, and then noticed that the last four words he’d uttered had apparently had quite some effect. It seemed he’d thrown the cowgirl for a loop. Now it was her turn to stare at Buzz.  There was a long, long pause, punctuated only by the faint clicking sound as Hamm took over from Rex in flipping through the TV channels.  
   
Just as the space toy was about to give up hope of her ever replying, Jessie’s features softened. “Me?”  
   
He hadn’t exactly planned on her throwing herself on him with a joyful acceptance, but he hadn’t thought her response would be quite so… shy? “Er… yes, you.”  
   
“What are we gonna dance to?” Jessie smiled softly at him, and Buzz blinked, raptured by her beauty, before realising that there was no music – because the party hadn’t even begun yet.  
   
“Oh, erm, I… I don’t know, I guess, heh, we’ll have to wait for the music to start or something, I hear Rex’s got this song mix playlist thing on the computer or something, yeah.” Buzz scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.  
   
“Right.” Jessie responded.  
   
Another long pause followed.  
   
“Can you dance?” The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.  
   
“I don’t know.” Jessie grinned. “I guess we’ll find out, huh?”  
   
“That makes two of us.” Buzz said, somewhat shyly.  
   
“Oh c’mon Buzz. It always looked kinda easy to me when I saw it on TV.”  
   
“You’ve seen dancing on TV?” Buzz asked, surprised. He didn’t have Jessie down as the type that would watch dancing.  
   
“Sure. Molly likes to watch these cartoons and in one of them there was this girl dancing with a monster, or a beast, or something.” She noted Buzz’s forehead furrow, and quickly laughed, “I don’t mean that you’re a beast, or anything, though!”  
   
Buzz coughed to mask his nerves again. “Thanks.” Briefly, he considered if this was actually a conversation. Then he realised that Jessie hadn’t turned down the invitation to dance, although she hadn’t accepted it either. The mere thought of this made his wingtips tingle with anticipation. Only the main light snapping off overhead made him take notice.  
   
In the near dark of the room, the fairy lights above them glowed. The colours caught in the prisms of the disco ball tree bauble and danced off, sending swatches of pretty colours floating over the walls and the furniture. The light also flickered on the other decorations, and the whole room seemed to shine. But no light could outshine the wonder he saw in Jessie’s eyes when he glanced over at her. Jessie’s mouth was slightly open as she stared agog at the scene above her, taking in all the beauty.  
   
The laptop suddenly flared into life, and music filled the room. Buzz tore his eyes off Jessie and fixed on the desk, where Slinky was playing at DJ.  
   
A sudden touch on his arm made him look back over in the cowgirl’s direction.  
   
“Shall we dance, pardner?” she asked, her eyes meeting his.  
   
Buzz glanced around hurriedly, and noticed there were quite a few others already boogying away. His nerves seeped in again however, as the cowgirl’s hand remained on his arm. “Maybe in a moment.” He was stalling, pushing for some time to calm himself down, and in doing so missed the disappointed look on the cowgirls face.  
   
“Do you mind if I go ahead then?” Her soft Texan accent flittered past the confines of his brain.  
   
“Um, no, not at all.” Buzz replied shakily, too caught up with his own thoughts. She _wanted_ to dance with him. She _wanted_ him next to her. Oh he’d done it now! He’d asked her to dance and she’d practically said yes. She _was_ shy and so was he. She was so beautiful as well. This was it. The nerves jangled around inside of his stomach and his wings and pattered around in his brain.  
   
“You know, you’re lucky. You get to watch her go.”  
   
The voice on his shoulder made Buzz spin around, jerked out of his inner monologue. “Woody! I thought you weren’t joining us.” He couldn’t keep the surprise out of his sentence.  
   
“Couldn’t help coming out when the music started. A toy can’t get any rest with this din. I should really tell Slinky to turn it down, the neighbours will get concerned.”  
   
“Why don’t you?”  
   
“Because there’s something I have to say to you first.”  
   
“Oh?”  
   
“Go and dance with her Buzz. You don’t know how much longer you guys have together. Like me and Bo. How was I to know that last Christmas would be our last Christmas together? How did I know the last time I saw her would be the last?”  
   
Woody was not usually so morbid and depressive. Usually he was a bit of a stickler and a downer for things such as rules, and he ran a tight ship. But hearing him so melancholy really wounded Buzz’s spirits.  
   
“You didn’t,” was all Buzz could find in his heart to say.  
   
“Exactly.” Woody paused. “Go and get her attention again. You have until I get up on the desk with Slinky. Go.”  With that, and not waiting for a reply, Woody turned on his heel and headed off.  
   
Buzz gulped. This did not leave much time at all and who knew what Woody would do if he, Buzz Lightyear, didn’t follow through. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with air, and looked for Jessie.  
   
To his astonishment, he realised she was right there, in the centre of the dancefloor area, alone, and dancing like he’d never seen any toy dance before. The lights that glowed and splattered around the room above them also danced on her clothing, and off her lovely long red hair. Her hips moved to the beat of the music – she was intoxicating, and he wanted to be next to her, in the same way he now realised she wanted to be next to him.  
   
With all his confidence built up in a little ball and stored firmly in his stomach with all the butterflies nestling around it, Buzz walked over and caught Jessie’s hand as she danced. She stopped instantly at his touch, turning to face him, and the light around her now seemed to dance off of him too.  
   
It was then Buzz realised that because of the half dark room, he was actually faintly glowing luminous green himself. Jessie giggled.  
   
“I guess my eyes are as green as you, huh?”  
   
Buzz blushed a little, unable to miss that she was referring to his own failed pickup line. Fortunately she either did not see or chose to ignore his reddened cheeks, because as the music suddenly slowed, she drew near, wrapping her arms around his neck.  
Almost instinctively, Buzz looked up over the top of Jessie’s head. He spotted Woody on the desk next to Slinky, and the cowboy was giving him a thumbs up. Then Buzz realised that not only had the music dipped in volume – as Woody had promised – but the song playing was a ballad.  
   
Buzz realised just what he had to do. This was a slow dance and Jessie was draped around him. Nervously he grasped her waist, cradling her gently in his arms.  
   
Glancing around, he smiled at the sight of the Potatoheads doing some kind of clunky box step (Mrs. Potatohead was leading, of course). There were some other toys of Bonnie’s dancing in pairs, ones he vaguely knew, but he was pulled away from this by Jessie’s head on his shoulder.  
   
Buzz’s breathing quickened just as Jessie spoke.  
   
“This is just like in the beast movie I watched.”  
   
“Is it?  
   
“Yeah. In the end he turned into a handsome prince. And they lived happily ever after.”  
   
“Oh.” What else could he say? She was clearly referring to a happily ever after with him. Again, the mere thought dived headfirst into his brain and stayed there as Buzz felt a grin spreading over his lips. Jessie brought her head up to look at him, and was about to question the broad smile when with a start they both realised simultaneously that the ballad music had stopped. They were still swaying together, inches apart, while some much faster track was playing.  
   
Buzz stared at her, and she stared at him, and then without a word he remembered something Andy had spoken of once after his junior prom. Not missing a beat, the space ranger suddenly flung Jessie out at arms length, spun her around, and dipped her back over his arm. The surprise on the cowgirls face tempted him to go a little further. Buzz pulled her back upright, and sashayed her over into the middle of the floor, twirling her and pulling her close. Something, deep down inside him, urged him on, almost like he’d unlocked a third dimension of himself. He wanted to stop, but he went with that deeper feeling for just a few more moments.  
   
When they did stop for air, Jessie was breathing just as heavily as he tended to when he was panicking. Buzz wanted to kiss her at that very minute. She looked alive, and he _felt_ alive.  
   
“That was amazing. Where didya learn to dance like that, Buzz?” She still had her hands braced on his shoulders, her breathing beginning to lessen after the exertion.  
   
“I’m not sure,” he replied, truthfully.  
   
“Oh, so modest!” She smacked his shoulder playfully and let go of him. “Such a dark horse!”  
   
“No really,“ he insisted, but Jessie wasn’t looking. She was focused on the other toys moving towards the television, where Rex and Hamm had finally managed to find a channel screening the live coverage of the Times Square ball dropping down One Times Square.  
   
“Is it that time already?” She vocalised the thought out loud, and Buzz turned to look too. The other toys were clustered tightly around the television now, and even Slinky and Woody had made their way across the room from the desk, and were clamouring for a position in the group. Jessie and Buzz therefore found themselves at the back of the crowd. There was a hubbub as the screen focused in on the flagpole atop the Times Square building, and Buzz turned to Jessie.  
   
“Happy New Year, cowgirl.”  
   
She looked back at him, her eyes twinkling, and he realised it was nothing to do with the fairy lights this time. As the ten second countdown began, she smiled at him, and his emotions hit him in full at that moment. Once again he realised how close together they were, as the chant hit five seconds.  
   
Gently and boldly, he raised his hand and pulled her down to him, their lips meeting for only the second time since they’d known each other.  He felt her respond in kind, her lips soft and full against his. The kiss deepened as his fingers tangled in her hair, and her arms wrapped around him. There was no space between them anymore, no interruptions of any kind. The room melted away, the other toys were of no consequence to either of them.  
   
There was a faint sound of cheering as the chimes rang in the New Year, and only then did they pull apart.  
   
Turning, Jessie glanced up to where the television was, and Buzz noticed her cheeks immediately flush crimson. It seemed the cheers had not all been for the ball drop, in fact some of the other toys had seen them together in their passionate embrace. Buzz swallowed, and Jessie’s cheeks continued to flush a hotter shade of pink. Heat was building in Buzz’s wingtips, but he didn’t know if it was from being spotted or from Jessie’s earlier affections.  
   
“Heh… um… I was just wishing Jessie a Happy New Year,” Buzz began awkwardly, raising his hand to the back of his neck.  
   
“Yeah, that was it, nothing else to it,” Jessie agreed brightly. She shot a sidewards glance at Buzz, who looked back at her. She suddenly became aware they were still holding hands, and she abruptly let go of him, moving her hands up the side of her head and beginning to play with the end of her braid.  
   
Silence descended for a few moments, until the beat from the laptop kicked back in. The other toys, seemingly distracted easily by the music, rushed off to dance, until only Jessie and Buzz were left standing alone.  
   
Buzz dared to glance at the cowgirl, but her eyes were averted, concentrating on her braid. He dared further to speak.  
   
“Thanks for the dance, by the way.”  
   
“You’re welcome.” Her soft voice was a lotion for the awkwardness he felt. It moved him enough to wonder why he – _they_ – cared what the other toys thought. Woody, for a start, had told him to make a move, and that was all the justification Buzz needed.  
   
Reaching up, Buzz removed one hand from Jessie’s braid, and her gaze followed his movement in astonishment. She looked about; first down to their entwined hands, and then back up to his eyes. Neither one of them said a word as they stood there, clasping each others fingers, as the other toys danced, and the fairy lights continued to sparkle and flicker on the walls..  
   
“Happy New Year, Buzz,” Jessie breathed out eventually, and Buzz nodded silently. He had no doubts that it was going to be a _very_ good New Year indeed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was written by Diane Clifford.


	12. Epilogue

Several hours had passed when Jessie finally lifted her head from Buzz’s chest, their reminiscing concluded. The cowgirl propped herself up on her elbows and looked down at her boyfriend, smiling. 

“Okay, I s’pose I _did_ know what I was doin’ to ya all those years,” she conceded with a playful giggle. “But I reckon you weren’t so innocent either. You had a way of gettin’ my britches in a bunch, too.”

The space ranger smirked. “At least I didn’t enlist my friends’ help in conspiring against you.” 

Jessie shrugged dismissively. “Don’t matter who was messin’ with who anymore, really. It worked, didn’t it?”

“That it did,” Buzz chuckled, before craning his neck to glance at the alarm clock on the night stand. 

“We should be getting back to Bonnie’s room,” he suggested, observant of the rosy sunset glow that was beginning to fill the cozy space they shared. “The family will be home before too much longer.” 

With a quick peck on her boyfriend’s cheek, the cowgirl bolted upright and strode over to the corner of the bed, where she had discarded her hat earlier in the day. As she bent over to pick it up, she was caught off guard by an oh-too-familiar…

Ka-chunk.

Jessie spun around to the source of the sound, and a wicked grin spread across her face at the sight of her boyfriend sitting up, wings extended and blinking. The cowgirl stood with her hand on her hip, triumphant. ”Yeah, I still got it."

Before she could descend from the bed, however, Jessie squealed with surprise as Buzz’s strong hands seized her around the waist and pulled her down on top of him. 

“Maybe we don’t have to go just yet.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was written by jessiejanelightyear


End file.
